As Microsoft is expected to increase its research and development investment in its Windows mobile operating system after acquiring Nokia’s handset business, PC OEMs may be forced to reallocate their resources to manufacturing products running Google Inc’s Android system, Fubon analyst Arthur Liao (廖顯毅) said in a note.

Nokia has said it is selling its handset business for 5.44 billion euros (US$7.16 billion) to Microsoft — 3.79 billion euros for the device unit and 1.65 billion euros for patents.

Liao said PC OEMs should select the “right” clients and evaluate which operating system for mobile devices will prove to be more competitive to survive in the long run.

“Overall, PC OEMs should maintain the Windows operating system for PC products, but choose Android for mobile devices,” Liao said.

Fubon kept a negative view on Acer Inc (宏碁) and Asustek Computer Inc (華碩), the world’s fourth and fifth-largest PC makers, saying the two have failed to extend their shares of the mobile device market.

The brokerage was also negative on Quanta Computer Inc (廣達) and Wistron Corp (緯創), the world’s top and third-largest contract laptop makers respectively, because they lack big-name smartphone clients.